All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 5-3 loss to the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Bullpen finally costs Sox: Through the first 18 games, the Red Sox' bullpen -- identified as a potential weakness in the spring -- performed far better than expected. But that changed in dramatic fashion Wednesday when the Sox saw a 3-1 lead in the seventh very quickly turn into a 5-3 deficit. Brandon Workman started the trouble by walking two around a base hit, filling the bases with one out. In came Ryan Brasier, who got ahead of Brett Gardner 0-2 with two quick sliders. But then, inexplicably, Brasier threw a fastball -- over the heart of the plate, no less -- and Gardner drove it into the seats in right for a grand slam. It marked the first blown save of the season for the Red Sox bullpen.
https://twitter.com/Yankees/status/1118682194518716417
Eovaldi deserved better: Following in the footsteps of strong starts from Eduardo Rodriguez (last Friday) and David Price (Saturday), Nathan Eovaldi had his best start of the season, limiting the Yankees to a single run on just three hits over six innings. From the beginning, Eovaldi flashed a good fastball, frequently hitting 98-99 mph in the first inning and deftly mixed in his cutter, curveball and split-finger fastball. Eovaldi showed precise control, too. After issuing 10 walks in his first 15 innings -- some atypical wildness on his part -- he walked just one batter Wednesday while striking out six. Eovaldi finished well, too, retiring the final eight hitters he faced, including three by strikeout. In the fourth, he got himself out of a jam, with runners at second and third and one out, fanning Mike Tauchman and getting Gio Uershela on a grounder to first.
Pedroia exits: It can't be good news that Dustin Pedroia came out of the game after an inning and a half Wednesday night. Pedroia, who was the second baseman in the starting lineup, had one at-bat -- an innocuous flyout to right that saw him jogs two-thirds of the way down the first base line as the ball was caught, then turn around and head to the dugout. But when the Sox took the field in the bottom of the inning, Pedroia was out and Eduardo Nunez was at second. Later, the Red Sox announced that Pedroia had come out of the game because of ''discomfort'' in his surgically-repaired left knee. He told Alex Cora that he felt "something weird'' in the knee after the at-bat and will visit with a doctor Thursday in New York. The Sox had been managing Pedroia carefully in the early going. He was used as the DH Sunday and Monday to reduce wear-and-tear on the knee, then was given the day off entirely when the series opened Tuesday. The fact that he had to come out after a half inning in the field and one at-bat raises all sorts of flags about his future -- both the short-term and long-term. Perhaps this is just a temporary setback. But remember, Pedroia played just three games last year before going on the DL, all the while maintaining that he would be back relatively soon. He never played another game.
TURNING POINT
In the eighth inning, the Red Sox had a chance to counter what the Yankees had done in the seventh. With two outs, the Sox managed to load the bases against Adam Ottavino. But Nunez, being overly aggressive, went after the first pitch and flied to right, stranding three baserunners. The Sox were done.
TWO UP
Christian Vazquez: Vazquez gave the Red Sox an early 3-0 lead in the second when he hit a pitch out to the opposite field for his third homer of the season.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1118652524481994753
J.D. Martinez: Martinez continues to be the most consistent force in the lineup, with a homer in the first, a walk in the sixth and a single in the eighth. He's hit safely in 18 of the 19 games.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1118646823277740032
TWO DOWN
Mookie Betts: Betts was again missing in action in the offense, going 0-for-4 at the top of the lineup, making him 3 for 32.
Jackie Bradley Jr.: Bradley's struggles at the plate continue with an 0-for-4 night at the bottom of the order, including two strikeouts.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Gardner became the fourth Yankee to hit a grand slam for his 100th career homer.
- Until Wednesday, the Red Sox were one of two AL teams without a blown save. The Angels were the other.
- Martinez has reached base safely in all 19 games.
- The Sox managed just four hits after the third inning and three never left the infield.
- Boston was 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.